The Sims 4 is the fourth main game in the real-time life simulation / management series. Just like the previous games one or more custom characters are created through Create-a-Sim to live in a house designed by the player. As their lives unfold based on the environment, relationships and specific traits, the player gets to manage the life, needs to organize activities, attend to needs, and react to moods, with non-linear gameplay and no direct control. The character creation process has been expanded. Players choose a gender, age (from child to elder), look and outfit. The voice can be adjusted from clear to brash and a specific walking style can be chosen to reflect the personality. Next to a selection of various facial and body features, every element of the character can also be tweaked by holding and dragging with a large choice of colours and accessories. Players also choose a lifetime aspiration from a number of fields such as athleticism, creativity, family, knowledge, love ... with deeper choices for each. Next, three traits (one less than the previous game) are selected such as active, cheerful, gloomy, romantic or self-assured, and specific characteristics such as hobbies, lifestyle and social intelligence. The game puts a larger emphasis on personalities and social interactions. Sims are now for instance also able to multitask, rather than completing actions one by one, and these are also affected by moodlets and emotions. The gameplay involves managing the daily needs of the Sims, including hunger, thirst, and sleep. The action queue at the bottom of the screen allows players to plan activities in advance. Time controls manage how time passes, and players can rotate the camera freely to follow the activity from any angle. Sims level up by practicing activities, and the main currency Simoleons is used to provide for the chosen lifestyle and buy new items.
The game features two neighbourhoods with ten public venues in total, such as bars, a museum, a park, a gym, and a library. Work locations and co-workers are not shown in the game. The build mode has been improved, allowing players to easily create structures by clicking items together. However, this mode does not offer custom designs like previous versions.
The game's graphics have also changed. The Create-a-Style mode has been removed, and instead, players can choose from predetermined colour sets for surfaces and textiles. The terrain is flat, without hills, and transportation is no longer present. The game uses smaller environments that link together with loading screens, rather than a seamless open world.